A Nightmare Come True
by Yumiko Shima
Summary: LeexGaara. Recurring nightmares sparked a chain of events, and they couldn't stop time from flowing.
1. Nightmares

**A Nightmare Come True**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, I wouldn't even know what to do with it.**

**Summary: Gaara and Lee have nightmares about each other and are willing to do whatever it takes to stop them from happening, which could be more than they think. GaaLee. Re-up.**

**Other Pairings: Some random het pairings in later chapters.**

Post Shuppuden-era, which means **SPOILERS!**

**A/N: It's a re-upload, and I'm xoxoxlovestinksxoxox. -bored with writing this in all Author Notes- So if you don't believe me, feel free to look on xoxoxlovestinksxoxox. Do you see any yaoi? Nope. That's because this account is for my BL. I got too many watchers that don't like it. (Watchers…you can tell I'm addicted to devART.)**

**Chapter One: Nightmares**

Gaara wandered along the dark hallway, his sand slithering along beside him. Since Shukaku's removal, he usually had to make a conscious effort to control the sand. But now, he wouldn't have even known it was there if it wasn't for the constant tell-tale hissing of the rough grains against the stone floor.

Eventually, the Kazekage came to a room. Was it his office? It looked like it, except everything was coated in a slick black liquid. His desk, his chair…

Who was sitting in his chair?

He looked slightly older than Gaara, with large eyes, bushy eyebrows, and hair like someone had upturned a bowl over it and used it as a guide for cutting. The whole left side of his face was covered in a dark web. It looked like he had been badly burned, but it could also pass for some strange disease.

Gaara clenched his fist when he finally recognized the boy as Rock Lee. He couldn't stand to see Lee like this. Who had done such a thing to the taijitsu master's face? Emotions welled up inside him, but mostly anger. Why? Why Lee?!

"I love you, Gaara," Lee said quietly.

Gaara released his fist in shock, dropping a small object he didn't realize he had been carrying. A fire sparked up at his feet, fed by the oil covering the room. Rock Lee went up in flames. The Kazekage frantically called out the Konoha Jonin's name, willing the sand to put out the blaze.

He couldn't find the sand.

Breath caught in his throat, and he became gradually aware of the sensation of choking on it.

--

Lee stared in alarm as the kunai rested against Gaara's throat. He waited for the sand to stop it, but it never did. He tried to strike a fighting pose, hoping to take on the invisible enemy that had somehow gotten past the Kazekage's sand barrier. His entire body was numb, which Lee was sure was preventing him from doing anything. The attempt only resulted in a trickle of blood from the former Jinchuuriki's neck.

"Lee," Gaara rasped, the sadness in his eyes piercing Lee's heart, "I…love…you…"

The words greatly surprised the taijitsu master, but they gave him a new strength. He struggled to push forward and save the redhead, but the action sent the blade into Gaara's throat. He went limp.

Lee realized with a jolt of horror that the kunai was in his own hand. He crouched beside the sand-nin, able to move once again. The taijitsu master tried to stop the bleeding with whatever he had, but he certainly wasn't a medic ninja. It was too late.

--

Two shinobi, though many miles apart, woke up in a cold sweat at the exact same moment. This was the sixth time this week they'd each had their respective nightmares.

They both made a silent vow to avoid one another at any cost. They hadn't socialized very much in a while anyway, and the fact that they lived in two far away villages should help them along. After all, if you have a dream too many times…

Well, it just might come true.

--

**A/N: Just to clarify, they aren't even sure of their own feelings yet, let alone being together at the moment. **


	2. Getting Closer

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, as much as I wish I owned Gaara, Neji, and Lee.

**Chapter Two: Getting Closer**

Gaara could have laughed at the twisted irony. No matter what he said, the elders were shipping him off to the Village Hidden in the Leaves to watch the final rounds of the Chuunin exams. It was the first one he'd been invited to since the attack on Konoha years ago. Tsunade apparently just hadn't wanted to let it go. Under normal circumstances, he would have been thrilled at Naruto's first real action as Hokage. Well, as thrilled as Sabaku no Gaara can get, anyway. But it's just significantly easier to avoid someone when you're in another country. And he wasn't looking forward to Suna's upcoming mission.

"What's with you today, Gaara?" Temari dropped back to her youngest brother. "You're lagging behind. Last time we came, Kankuro and I actually had trouble keeping up with you!"

Well, last time, he had wanted to see Rock Lee, for some reason he couldn't explain. Now, he cared about the leaf-nin too much. The Kazekage felt like he was hazardous to Lee's health. The closer he got, the closer goodbye came. Gaara shuddered.

"Are you okay, Gaara?" Kankuro slowed his pace to let his siblings catch up.

"Something doesn't feel right."

Temari strained every sense, thoroughly checking their surroundings. There was nothing but the trees. She guessed that was what made the Kazekage uncomfortable. It was certainly making her edgy, without the familiar sand whipping around her feet.

"We have to go back." It was the first time since before the Shukaku was removed that he had to fight down panic and desperation. This was the first time in years that Gaara was afraid of himself.

"Gaara! What is it?" Kankuro awkwardly placed a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"I'll kill him… We have to go back!"

"Naruto?"

"No." The entire nightmare came rushing out, with some particularly gory details. They say talking serves to lighten the burdens of travel. But in this case, it made the Sand Siblings want to run back home.

After a long silence, Kankuro spoke up cheerfully. "You don't have to worry!"

"That's easy for you to say." Gaara glared lightly at his brother.

"He means your dream took place in your office," Temari offered. "Going to the Village Hidden in the Leaves might actually be a good thing!"

"Wait a minute," Kankuro said. "Why do you care so much about that Rock Lee kid, anyway?"

"I don't know."

Temari giggled. "Could Gaara be in love?"

"No! Lee's a guy! That's stupid," Kankuro protested.

Gaara just stared at the ground in front of him, tuning out his siblings' argument. He refused to think about Lee or the nightmares, instead turning his thoughts to the upcoming mission.

There was a rumor that Sasuke had set up a home on the border of Wind Country. The Village Hidden in the Sand was planning a retrieval mission. Of course, the elders had to prove they would be better at this type of mission than Konoha. It would be harder. Sasuke had allies now, and was stronger. As in, he had joined the Akatsuki shortly after wiping out a village of civilians in Fire Country and killing Itachi. Something told Gaara it was going to be a long year for Suna.

--

Lee dozed off on the table. Again. Neji hit a chakra point in his former teammate's shoulder, increasing the energy flow and waking Lee up.

"What did I miss?" Lee rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Those nightmares were really taking a toll on him.

Tenten sighed. "I said, Naruto said that the Kazekage's coming to watch the Chuunin exams."

Sakura nodded. "He told me that they were going to talk about more than the Genin."

"What?! Gaara can not come here!" Great, now how was Lee supposed to avoid him?

"He's the Kazekage, he can do whatever he wants," Sakura replied. "Now, do you guys want to hear the news or what?"

"What is it?" Tenten turned to face the other kunoichi.

"Gaara's leading a new 'Retrieve Sasuke' mission."

"WHAT?!" Tenten jumped up and slammed her fists on the table.

"Temari promised she wouldn't let Gaara try anything!" Shikamaru's eyebrow gave an uncharacteristic twitch.

"Haruno, did you tell Uzumaki that we didn't want him back?" Neji asked.

"I tried. He's just so upset that he failed before; he's willing to let Gaara give it a shot. I couldn't say any more without giving us away."

"We can't let our Hokage make such a mistake," Neji replied calmly. "There's no telling what the Uchiha would do to get away from Konoha again."

"In the past, I've led a team to get him back." The tremble in Shikamaru's brow had disappeared. "I've said it myself; Sasuke is one of the leaf shinobi. But the second he put on that Akatsuki cloak, he was gone for good."

"Just what do you plan to do about Naruto's faulty judgment?"

"This involves you, too, Sai," Sakura pointed out flatly. "It's 'we', not 'you'."

"I never said it wasn't." The emotionless shinobi gave his insincere grin.

Lee had a bad feeling at the pit of his stomach. He could almost feel the rapid thought process of the Hyuuga prodigy next to him. The telltale I-know-everything-and-you-people-don't smirk curved across Neji's face.

"If we can't stop them…" Neji's voice stopped the disagreement. "…we have no choice. We may have to assassinate the Kazekage."

The entire Green Fist Underground, made up of only about ten Konoha shinobi, put their hands on top of one another in the center of the table. They said their oath, which was to protect the people of Fire Country from ALL members of the Akatsuki, and left to go do ninja type things, which consisted of watching television, training, shopping ("But, Neji! Pink is the new white!"), and whatever else they do on Saturdays.

Lee, on the other hand, sat there an extra ten minutes, contemplating his shock and horror. (It would have taken five, but he kept dozing off.) He had the feeling that he would be chosen to do the job, as the only one in Green Fist who had even touched Gaara before. His nightmare…


	3. Attraction

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto, Sasuke would have been shot the day he betrayed Konoha.

**Chapter Three: Attraction**

Of course, the first person Gaara saw when he stepped through the village gates was a very depressed taijitsu master. The Kazekage quickened his pace.

"Are you alright?" Gaara mentally slapped himself. Of course Lee wasn't alright! The normally peppy ninja looked depressed and half asleep.

Half asleep?

"Aah!" Lee jumped. Suddenly, he was wide awake. "Gaara! I am sorry! I must be somewhere!" The leaf-nin dashed off.

Gaara was a little hurt at that one. Did he smell bad?

"I told you, Kankuro," Temari said. "Look, he's checking his breath."

"My little brother is not in love with another man! Maybe he's just self-conscious all of a sudden!"

Temari raised an eyebrow and was about to give a smug reply when Shikamaru walked up. "Temari, do you mind if I talk to you for a second?"

Temari knew what it was about. "I have to escort the Kazekage to the Hokage's office. I'll talk to you later!"

Kankuro did not know what it was about. "I'll take care of our little brother. We will go STRAIGHT to Naruto's office, because Gaara is like that."

Temari sighed. "I SAID I'M COMING!"

"Okay! Okay!" The puppet master put his hands up defensively.

"And Gaara's in love," she added under her breath as she walked past him.

"HE IS NOT! You don't know everything, Temari!"

"Wanna bet?"

"Mendokuse," Shikamaru sighed before walking off. There was no point in arguing with the stubborn kunoichi. Arguing was such a drag.

"Bye, Shika! Okay, Gaara, let's…"

The Kazekage had disappeared.

--

Gaara stealthily entered the Hokage's office. Naruto was writing Hinata's name repeatedly on his desk, grinning goofily. He looked like a giddy schoolgirl.

The Kazekage cleared his throat. The embarrassed Jinchuuriki scrambled for an excuse ("Sasuke came to Konoha and slipped something in my water while I was asleep!") before giving up and offering him a seat. Gaara couldn't say anything. He had covered his desk with Lee's name in an attempt to get the leaf shinobi out of his head. That had been the weekend before the nightmares started.

"How are the preparations for the mission going?"

"Excellent," Gaara said half-heartedly.

"What's the matter with you?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I told you! Sasu-"

"If he really poisoned your water supply, why do you want him back?"

"He's like the bother I never had…" The Hokage stared into space nostalgically. "That, and I promised Sakura that I would bring him back. Sure, she _acts_ like she doesn't care anymore, but who knows her better than her best friend?"

"She does?"

"Oh, yeah! She absolutely flipped when I told her you were planning to take a shot at getting him back. Between you and me" -Naruto leaned forward- "I think she's starting to have feelings for Sai!"

"I couldn't care less. What is the real reason you called me?"

Naruto sighed. "At first, that was it. But just before you arrived, a certain shinobi, who's going to remain anonymous, told me about an arrangement to assassinate you. He said he would tell us if any set plans are made."

"What level are they?"

"Jonin."

"How many?"

"Ten. No, wait, nine. Fuzzy I-I MEAN, OUR INFORMANT, said he wouldn't help, so that leaves nine Jonin."

Fuzzy Eyebrows? Even the Kazekage knew that was Naruto's nickname for Rock Lee. Something twitched in Gaara's stomach at the thought of Lee caring enough to warn him.

"Are you okay, Gaara? Your face is turning red! You must be running a fever for it to show through the sand!"

"I'm not wearing the sand," Gaara growled. Lately, he'd been wearing it less and less in hopes of getting a tan. His sun deprived skin seemed paler than ever, if anything.

Naruto rested a hand on the Kazekage's forehead, only to have it swatted away. "I'm fine! I… I'm going to go thank Lee."

"F-for what?"

"For existing," Gaara replied, disappearing in a swirl of sand.

Naruto sat there for a second, trying to figure out what the cryptic sand-nin meant, before giving up and doodling a little picture of Hinata on a report.

--

Lee was lazily slurping up ramen at Ichiraku's when Gaara walked in. Deciding the Kazekage was safe around him for the time being, he just stared at the bowl.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. Temari held me up in the middle of the street for a lecture."

Was there a date between them that Lee had forgotten about? _N-not a date! A, uh, gathering!_ The taijitsu master wasn't satisfied with this word either.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Thank you for warning Naruto about the-"

"Shhh! They are watching!" Lee sighed. "I told him to keep it anonymous."

"You know Naruto."

Lee watched the Kazekage as he placed his order, to-go. "You are not going to stick around?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Well, yes." Lee wondered vaguely what shade of red he was turning.

--

"I told you, Kankuro," Temari hissed from their spot in the bushes outside the stand.

"That doesn't mean anything!"

"Oh, but it does!"

Kankuro glared. "You talked to Gaara, didn't you?"

"Keep it down, will you? Yes, I _may_ have pointed out a _few_ things to our dense little brother about love."

"You don't know anything!"

"What was that?" Temari could look pretty menacing when she wanted to.

"Nothing!"

--

The ramen Gaara got from Temari and Kankuro was freezing. But he still didn't want to leave. As cheesy as it sounds, there was a pull between him and Lee. It had always been there, dragging him off to the hospital to see his friend when he'd ruined the shinobi's dreams, calling him to the fight with Kimimaro… But it was stronger now.

The Kazekage was having the time of his life, just sitting there and talking to Lee. Maybe Temari was right.

Maybe it really was love.

Of course, Gaara didn't believe in that sort of thing. But when he was with Rock Lee, it was kind of hard not to. All of the stress of his job, the upcoming mission, and the Green Fist melted away. He even made plans to meet him on the roof of his hotel the next night.

Sabaku no Gaara, former homicidal psychopath, walked home on sunshine. (And Kankuro has to clean the house from top to bottom when they get back to Suna, thanks to the fact he totally lost that bet with Temari.)


	4. Rooftop Meetings

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, because if I did, well, uh… You don't wanna know, and neither do I. So let's leave it at that.

**Chapter Four: Rooftop Meetings**

The cat attacked him, and he was late.

Rock Lee sighed. He couldn't wait to see Gaara, so he had decided to take a shortcut through an alleyway. This particular alleyway contained the most territorial cat in Konoha. So he was wishing he hadn't worn spandex, as well as wishing he hadn't taken this path.

He stopped on the way to buy roses, hoping maybe that would make up for being late. Lee overheard Ino saying something about red roses being the flower of love when he arrived at the Yamanaka flower shop.

"What would be the best for a very good friend, as an apology?"

Ino's thought process only lasted one second, but to the taijitsu master, it was painfully long. It was getting later and later… He didn't want to keep Gaara waiting! If he missed the Kazekage completely, he would do 2,000-

"Very good friend, huh? Like…a potential girlfriend?"

"Not exactly…"

Ino smirked. "Boyfriend?"

Lee hit the ceiling in shock. Literally. "Ow… Ah, of course not! Gaara is-"

"Ooh, the Kazekage? I approve!"

"What? No! I am not-"

Ino shoved a bouquet of, you guessed it, deep red roses into the taijitsu master's bandaged hands. "These are on the house! Go get him, tiger!"

"But I do not-"

"Of course you can! You're the, uh, 'Beautiful Green Beast of Konoha'!"

The kunoichi watched him jog awkwardly down the street. When Lee was out of earshot, she spoke. "Okay, you're paying for his roses!"

"Worth every penny!"

"Temari," Kankuro growled, "that's cheating!"

"No, it's using your resources. What have you done for your end of the bet?"

Kankuro just muttered something under his breath.

"You might want to go buy some cleaning supplies, because you're going to lose!"

Ino laughed. "What does the loser have to do?"

"Clean the Kazekage's mansion from top to bottom, since Gaara never bothers. Actually, I think you already lost the bet. Or do you still need proof?"

"I think you need the proof!" Kankuro's brow twitched.

Temari started out the door. "Fine then, we'll eavesdrop."

--

_He's late. Of course! He's not coming. He just agreed to come because he pitied me. I don't need his sympathy. I'm perfectly fine. I don't even care if he never shows. It doesn't matter. Lee doesn't matter to me._

But he did. He mattered so much.

A familiar green flash finally popped up in front of him, holding out a bouquet of roses at arm's length. "I am sorry I am late!"

"For me?" _It's a pity gift because he kept me waiting. But…who the heck cares?! He got me flowers!_ Of course, Gaara had never gotten flowers before, being a Jinchuuriki for the first fifteen years of his life.

"Yes!"

"Thank you…" He took the roses and motioned for Lee to sit down.

"I was late because I took a shortcut, and this demon cat attacked me, and I went to go get you flowers, and then… Ah, I am sorry. When I get nervous, I tend to talk, and then… oh, I am doing it now!"

"It's okay. I like it when you talk." _Why do I have to sound so stupid?! What am I, six?!_

Lee blushed. "Oh. Well, I will be sure to talk more!"

Of course, the irony was just too tempting for it, so an awkward silence crept in. Lee shifted closer, so that his shoulder brushed comfortably against Gaara's. After that, the silence just seemed…relaxed.

--

"Oh, that's a bold move on the part of Rock Lee! How will Sabaku no Gaara take it?" Temari was silently being the referee in the bushes. "Oh, he responds by laying his head on the older boy's shoulder! How will Kankuro get in the hard to reach places back at the mansion in Suna? He doesn't even know!"

"Shut up, will you?" Kankuro, meanwhile, was trying to fathom the idea that his little brother could possibly be gay.

"Aw, relax. It's not your fault you made a stupid bet that you knew you were going to lose… Oops, yeah it is!"

--

Lee finally broke the silence. "What do you do in your spare time?"

"When I'm not doing paperwork, I train. When I'm not training…" _I think of you._

"Yes," Lee said encouragingly, clearly hoping for Gaara to continue.

"I think." His head was resting on the taijitsu master's shoulder, and he was still afraid of rejection. That's right: Sabaku no Gaara had given up on denying his feelings for Rock Lee. But the redhead knew next to nothing about this sort of thing! He would just have to go along with the fluttery sensation in his stomach.

"About what?" When Lee felt the shorter teenager stiffen, he scrambled frantically for an apology. "I did mean to… That is to say that if it is none of my business… I am sorry!"

"It's okay. I think about…" _Ican'tstoptalkingnowIcan'tstoptalkingnow…_ "…you."

Lee smiled a bright, genuine smile. "I think about you, too, Gaara!"

--

Temari was rolling on her back in the bushes, laughing silently at the bewildered expression on Kankuro's face.

"Let's go home," he pleaded.

"Why? Don't want to be proven any more wrong than you already are?"

"I don't want to be here to watch if they start kissing!"

"Where are the over-protective big brother instincts?"

"What about you?"

"I actually think it's sweet that our little brother has found someone."

"Let's just get out of here!"

--

Gaara went back into the hotel late that night. His siblings were waiting up for him.

"How'd your night go?" Temari winked.

"Good." For the first time in years, the Kazekage was fighting back the urge to smile.

Kankuro choked on his spit. Temari just smiled. Gaara awkwardly left the room.

--

They met again the next night, same time and place. Lee's head was on Gaara's shoulder this time. Naruto and Hinata walked by, coming home late from their own date. They grinned at the sight. They always say smiles are contagious after all, and Sabaku no Gaara was beaming.

--

The final rounds of the Chuunin exams came next in Gaara's life. Naruto shot him a knowing smile when he sat down. "How was your night?"

The shinobi standing behind the Hokage stared at him in horror. "You slept with the Kazekage, boss?!"

"Of course not, Konohamaru!! What are you on?!" Naruto jumped three feet out of his chair.

"I had a lovely night. What about you and Hinata?" What was happening to him? He'd never used the word "lovely" before.

"You went on a date with Hinata, boss?"

"Yep! And I walked her home! And guess who we saw on the way back…" He grinned at Gaara, who shifted nervously in his seat.

"Who, boss?" The Chuunin leaned forward eagerly.

"A certain Kazekage snuggled up with Rock Lee!" The sand shinobi behind Gaara cracked up at Naruto's declaration.

Gaara stared at the Genin on the field below, turning about the shade of his hair. "When is it going to start?"

--

It was time, Lee decided. Tonight would be the night that he told Gaara… NO! He couldn't do it! But he had to…

He searched frantically for something to wear. What does one wear when they're going to make such an important, youthful declaration?! He couldn't wear the jumpsuit… That was it! Lee was calling Sakura!

When she arrived and he told her the problem, details about what he planned to happen, and everything, she just stared at him in shock. But her amazement was swiftly abandoned as she dragged the taijitsu master off shopping. He had to look nice when he told Gaara the truth!

Lee later stood in his apartment, examining his green dress shirt and black pants. He took a deep breath and practiced saying it to his reflection.

"Well, the truth is, Gaara, I think…I am in love with you."


	5. Lee's Worst Nightmare

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto, GaaLee or LeeGaa would be canon by now.

**Chapter Five: Lee's Worst Nightmare**

Lee arrived at the hotel's roof early, leaving directly after his lunch with Neji and Tenten. He paced back and forth, muttering what he'd rehearsed under his breath. He knew it so well; he would be able to recite it on autopilot if he froze up.

The taijitsu master wondered briefly if things were moving too fast. But he had known Gaara for longer than this, and he knew he was in love. It wasn't like what he had felt with Sakura. It was better. And it was real. It wasn't over something as shallow as appearance, but instead based on the trust and, well, love that he felt connecting him and the Kazekage.

Lee stopped and stared at the moon. _If things do not go well, I will do 1,000 sit-ups, 800 push-ups, and 100 laps around Konoha! I will become stronger for him!_ Of course, Lee's mind flashed back to Sakura, and how well that worked on her… The taijitsu master's large brows furrowed in determination. Things would go well! He had to stay positive!

He felt a distinctly familiar presence that made his pulse quicken. The Kazekage stood beside him, but there was something strange about his profile. Lee just couldn't put a finger on it, at first… _Gaara is not wearing his gourd!_

"Gaara…?"

"Yes?" The younger boy turned to face Lee, his features illuminated in an eerily beautiful way by the cold moonlight.

"Where is your gourd?"

"I don't need it. I'm safe." It was a statement, not a reassurance, as though he wasn't worried about Lee worrying about him, it was simply a fact.

Lee sat down, still facing the moon. "Are you sure? There are people out there who are… Well…" Lee couldn't bring himself to even think about what would happen if the Green Fist showed up.

"I know. Would they seriously be stupid enough to attack me here? My gourd is just inside, and you are here as well… I trust you would try to protect me." This announcement was more like a challenge. Electricity shot up Lee's spine. _Gaara trusts me._

Lee took a breath when the Kazekage sat down. It was now or never. "Gaara, there is something I need to tell you."

"Yes, Lee?"

He loved the way Gaara said his name. _Lee, Lee, Lee, Lee, L_-…Ahem. "I think I… I…" _What happened to the speech I had prepared?!_ It was lost in the clear blankness his mind had decided to pursue, which, by the way, wasn't entirely different from how he was currently lost in Gaara's jade eyes. They never needed to be filled with loneliness again.

"What's the matter?" The beautiful eyes that Lee focused on intently were clouding over with worry. _Do not worry, Gaara…_

A different blankness hit Lee with a startling intensity. What was going on? He couldn't move. The taijitsu master was trapped within the redhead's gaze, as if under a spell. He reached absentmindedly for his kunai, stashed within his leg weight. Lee tackled Gaara, pinning him to the roof. At the edge of his vision, he was dimly aware of Shikamaru. Great, he was trapped under the Shadow Possession jitsu and too intoxicated by Gaara's presence to resist. It probably wouldn't have done much good anyway, but…

It wasn't the Kazekage that had him acting this way, was it? Geez, you'd think Neji and Tenten slipped something in his food when he wasn't looking…

Of course! He scrambled through the blankness of his mind, trying to piece together what was happening. _Neji and Tenten… Drugs in my food… Shikamaru… Shadow Possession jitsu… Green Fist…Gaara…_

_Nightmares…_

The only images his mind could put with the words were from his nightmares. The blade pressed against Gaara's throat. The shinobi had missed the jugular, but how long?

He spoke, a trickle of blood spilling from the side of his neck with the effort. And his words echoed through Lee's shattered thoughts with startling volume. "Lee…I…love…you…"

_I love you, too, Gaara…_ Rock Lee tried to say it, really, he did. A foreign noise erupted from his throat instead. He didn't realize it in his present state and was confused even further by the sadness and betrayal in the smaller boy's eyes. Lee's entire body was numb. _Don't cry, Gaara! I love you! Please…_ The incoherent mumbling seemed to frighten the Kazekage more. Lee drew in a shaky breath, tensing when he heard a strange scraping… Gaara's sand broke the hotel window, rushing to his aid.

It picked Lee up gently, holding him far enough above the Kazekage for him to stand. "Are you mad?!"

He listened closely to Lee's voice, amazed to find some words mixed in with the muttering. "No…Gaara…why…down…kiss…kill…"

At this point, the drugs hazed his mind to the point of exhaustion, so he was pretty much acting and talking in his sleep. And where there was sleep, there were his nightmares. Lee flipped and rolled, fighting the sand. Eventually, he felt something solid beneath his feet as Shikamaru regained control and Gaara put him down. He stood deceptively still.

Gaara approached Lee cautiously. "Are you…"

The hold finally broke. Medicine that potent can only last for so long. But Shika's jitsu remained.

"Gaara… What happened?" The world spun back into place, but he couldn't sway.

"You were…insane."

"The drug… I think it was Green Fist… Gaara, you have to get out of here!"

"You never told me what you were going to say earlier."

"Leave," Lee gasped, noticing Shikamaru for the second time.

"What's wrong?" Gaara reached for the taijitsu master's shoulder.

He dodged the Kazekage's grip. "You have to leave, right now! I can never see you again!"

"If you don't want me to stay…"

"Go away! Before… Before I…" Lee couldn't get his mind around the reality of the idea. The first stage of grief, denial, had kicked in, and he hadn't even succeeded in harming Gaara yet. His emotions were still swinging all over the place, but at least he could think clearly. "Get out of here, Gaara!"

--

Hearing his name the way Lee had said it the final time held the same magic it always did. But it hurt. Learning that Lee hated him as much as everyone else did once… It cut him deeper than that kunai ever could. Gaara never wanted to hear Lee speak his name again.

He splashed some water on his face and cleaned the wound on his throat. He would be leaving Konoha the following morning.

Why should he wait? The Kazekage went to go inform his siblings that they should pack. They were leaving tonight.

--

Shikamaru, meanwhile, was at the Green Fist's secret meting spot, being yelled at by Neji and Tenten. Well, Tenten, anyway, since the Hyuuga prodigy apparently didn't yell. The drugs had been expensive, and they were only back where they started, except with significantly lighter wallets!

They would have to see what happened next. Surely, another opportunity would present itself. Suna might fail the mission.

Everyone stared in shock when Sai pointed the last bit out. Tenten stared at the table guiltily. She had helped mess up her best friend's secret relationship with Gaara (she made a mental note to find out why he hadn't told her) for what could be nothing.

What now?

--

**A/N: It came out too short and incredibly choppy, but I don't feel like re-writing it as of now. Maybe I will before I re-upload it now, if I get in the mood to.**

**Wonder what drug they gave Lee? Smells like strong stuff. XD**


	6. To Suna and Back Again

Disclaimer: The only thing I wish I owned more than Naruto is Krispy Kreme

**Disclaimer:** The only thing I wish I owned more than Naruto at the moment is a box of doughnuts. -sad-

**Chapter Six: To Suna and Back Again**

It was a week later. Lee had finally met his goal of 1,000 sit-ups, 800 push-ups, and 100 laps around Konoha. Of course, right when the broken taijitsu master finished and went to go get something to eat, he was called to the Hokage's tower. He had to walk all the way across Konoha. Well, it was more like drag himself across Konoha, considering the mental and physical state he was in.

"What happened to you?" Tenten asked when he entered Naruto's office. She was almost afraid of the answer.

"Nothing," Lee growled. He was obviously still mad at Tenten and the white-eyed young man next to her. They helped hurt Gaara!

"Yeah, Fuzzy Eyebrows, you don't look so good. But you're one of the few shinobi I trust to take on this mission. Did I not pick the right people to go with you?" This was pretty much code for "Are they in Green Fist?"

Lee knew what the Hokage meant, but he was too tired to give an answer. "What is the mission?"

"Well, I have good news!" Naruto grinned. "Suna's 'Retrieve Sasuke' mission was a success!"

That was the last thing two out of the four shinobi in the room wanted to hear. Neji's eye gave an invisible little twitch. That was the last time he listened to Sai. Tenten, on the other hand, just stared at Naruto in shock.

The Sixth Hokage carried on, blissfully unaware of the growing tension. "I am sending you to go to Suna and escort Sasuke back here! He has been weakened, according to Gaara, so if he makes a break for it, you'll be able to take him on! The Kazekage was going to bring him here himself, but I wouldn't have it! He's done too much already!"

Neji's brow gave another minute jolt. _Too much? You have no idea._ Tenten placed a hand on his shoulder, willing him not to go berserk. Not that the Hyuuga prodigy would ever lose his cool, right?

He calmed down when he realized the magnitude of the opportunity being presented to them. They were going to be alone with Sasuke for three days at the least, maybe more if he was as weakened as Gaara said. So… If Sasuke's throat was slit in the forest, and no one else was there to hear it, does he make a sound?

Lee, meanwhile, was sitting on the other side of Tenten and freaking out at the thought of seeing Gaara again. The Kazekage's life was no longer endangered by the taijitsu master's presence, since the mission was over and done with. But…well… They hadn't exactly parted on good terms. The usually peppy shinobi sunk deeper in his depression. He could always make amends, but it felt like it was too late. At least Gaara could be happy now… Lee hoped…

--

Neji didn't hit the others with his plan until they were halfway to the Village Hidden in the Sand. Lee went ahead and agreed. It would make the trip so much more painless if they could get along, and if killing Sasuke was his former teammate's idea of "getting along," Lee didn't see any harm in it. He was too numb to really care about the Akatsuki member.

Tenten finally decided to confront him about it. She thought she'd seen him down when he had been rejected by Sakura, but he was at least ten times gloomier.

"Lee," she said on the third and final day of the trip, when they were holed up in a sand cave during a storm. "What was between you and Gaara?"

The ninja jumped. "N-nothing!"

"You can tell us. In fact, you probably should have sooner! We might have held off on the attempted murders!"

Lee knew that was a lie. "There is nothing between us anymore, so it does not matter. He hates me."

Even the stoic Hyuuga was a little sympathetic. He didn't know what he would do if Tenten started hating him. They weren't dating or anything…yet. "I'm sure he doesn't. Nothing you can do can make him hate you."

The other two leaf Jonin stared at him in shock. They were thinking the same thing. _Did Neji just say something sensitive?_

"Gaara does. I tried to k-kill him."

Somewhere in Suna, Gaara shuddered, getting the uncomfortable feeling that Lee had just said his name.

Back out with the former Team Gai, Tenten shook her head. "Shikamaru seemed to believe otherwise. After all, didn't Gaara tell you that he loved you when the blade was _at_ his throat? So romantic…"

The two males couldn't exactly grasp what was romantic about slitting your lover's throat. Lee sighed. "That does not mean anything."

Tenten just shrugged.

--

Getting Sasuke involved communicating with the Kazekage. When the three Jonin entered his office, Gaara was writing Lee's name on the desk again. A stream of curses ran across the front of his mind at the awkward timing.

"Hello, Gaara." Lee winced at the upset look on the redhead's face.

"Call him by his title," Kankuro growled, taking a position at his little brother's shoulder.

"I am sorry." The glare Lee got from the Kazekage in return made him want to jump off a bridge.

"Just take the Uchiha and go." Gaara was endlessly thankful that nobody had noticed the red scrawl all over the surface of his desk.

"Kazekage-kun," Lee said softly, using "the voice," the one where he was talking to Gaara and Gaara alone, because only Gaara was important enough to hear what he had to say… Ahem. "I am sorry."

Gaara stared at his writing, thoroughly embarrassed by his moment of weakness before the foreigners. "Are you? Or are you just saying that to make me feel better?" He rose from his seat and glared at the taijitsu master. "I don't need your pity." Each word dripped with venom. "I don't need you. I was fine before you came along, and I'm fine now." They were lies, plain and simple. "You should leave. How did you put it? Oh, yeah. 'You have to leave, right now! I can never see you again!'" If looks could kill, the planet would have exploded, courtesy of Sabaku no Gaara.

"I love you."

"You lie."

"And I am sorry."

"I. Don't. Need. Your. Pity. Leave. Now."

"Gaara-"

"Kazekage-kun. I mean, Kazekage-sama!"

"Kazekage-sama. I can not stand to see you hurt. Please, I love you and-"

"This would be considered pity. You do not love me."

"Do not say that," Lee exclaimed indignantly, wondering how Gaara could just stand there like a stubborn child and infuriate him so much. "Do you want me to prove it?"

The others, meanwhile, stood and watched the soap opera unfold before their eyes. Tenten watched guiltily; Kankuro watched in shock; and Neji remained as expressionless as ever.

"Is there a way to prove it? Is it so simple?"

"I would die for you, Kazekage-kun. Do you want that?" Lee pulled out a shuriken and held it to his throat. "I will die, here and now, by my own hand, if it proves anything. What will it take?"

"That's cowardly." Gaara didn't want Lee to, no, no, he couldn't, shouldn't ever even consider the idea. "That's some way to prove it; you wouldn't even see my reaction." _Would I…cry?_

"Then I will kill Tenten," he declared, moving it to the kunoichi's throat.

Neji glared, but after the looks Gaara had given him, Lee was unaffected. The Hyuuga prodigy narrowed his eyes. "You won't."

Lee just blinked, staring at him blankly. Gaara sighed. "You should go."

_Great,_ Lee thought. _Now I am back where I started._ Literally. It almost reminded him of the Chuunin exams, when Gaara seemed to merely be tolerating his existence. When he wasn't trying to kill him, that is.

"You heard the man," Kankuro hissed. "Leave."

--

Really, it had been making Gaara uncomfortable with Lee in his office. The nightmares had started again, and… The Kazekage went to sign a bill, but absentmindedly wrote Lee's name instead.

Kankuro noticed. "Why'd you tell him to leave? You're like some lovesick little schoolgirl!"

"You know me better than that, Kankuro." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, they made him feel ten times worse. He really was a monster, turning Lee away like that when all he wanted was to help. Was that love? Offering to kill himself like that… He was only testing the Kazekage, not the other way around. Lee wanted to see if he would really let him do it. _He really knows I l…l-l-l…love…him…_ Gaara leaned forward and banged his head against the desk. Hard. On the positive side, he felt better. On the negative side, Lee was leaving Suna that very moment.

"Go after him, ototo," the puppet master sighed.

--

Gaara didn't catch up with Lee until they were walking out the gate with Sasuke in tow. He frantically called out to the taijitsu master. The small party of Konoha shinobi, plus one Akatsuki member, turned to face the Kazekage.

"Isn't that sweet, Neji?" Tenten hinted when the two boys hugged.

"Hn."

--

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who's reading this right now! Hah! Virtual cookies are overused. How about… A virtual doughnut!**

**Ya know, I just love that little nickname. I'll have to call Gaara "Kazekage-kun" from now on!**


	7. Return

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto…. Dang, what do you put when you run out of those? Well, I don't own it, so nyah.

**Chapter Seven: Return**

Everything came tumbling out in a rush. Gaara apologized for being so stubborn over and over, which was pretty unusual for him. "…and I should have believed you; I should have trusted you more; and I'm sorry…"

Tenten, on the other hand was distracted by a butterfly. Actually, she was wondering why there was a butterfly in the desert. Neji was distracted by Tenten. And Sasuke was slipping further and further away from the group until Tenten caught him and dragged him back.

They stayed like that until the sun started to set. Gaara offered them the spare room in the Kazekage's mansion. Sasuke was to be held in the prison overnight, until they were ready to leave in the morning. Tenten and Neji were stuck with the same bed, not that either of them protested. Lee slept with Gaara. No, nothing_ happened _in either room. The leaf shinobi were too exhausted from their trip.

Leaving took a while. Every time they would be going through the gates, Lee or Gaara would have to go back and kiss the other one last time. Of course, the original goodbye kiss was their first! But Neji and Tenten eventually dragged Lee off. It reminded Neji of the time when they had to haul his teammate away from that incredibly spicy curry.

--

It was day two, and they were finally among the familiar green foliage. Neji had chosen this day for the murder of Sasuke.

"Neji, can we take a break?" Lee, _Rock _Lee, Rock Lee_ the taijitsu master_, had just asked to take a break.

_He's a better actor than I thought_. Neji landed silently on the forest floor.

Sasuke smirked. _The poison's kicking in… I only wish I had thought to smuggle enough for the three of them._

Lee, on the other hand, was on his back, trying to catch his breath. "Something's wrong…with me…"

Tenten came up from behind Sasuke and threw her arms around his neck. He flipped her forward over his shoulder. In his weakened state, the move strained his muscles.

That was when the fight really began. Lee leaned against a tree and watched as Neji barely missed the rogue nin's shoulder. Tenten made a stab for his head, but Sasuke ducked. Neji aimed for a chakra point on his chest. Sasuke managed to evade the lightning fast jabs. He was where Neji wasn't, but so was Tenten. She matched where he avoided the blows, stabbing him each time.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke gasped for breath as Neji's Jyuuken hit its mark. "You're betraying the Hokage!"

"You could have pointed that out without being so smug." Tenten struck him upside the head.

"We are doing Naruto a favor." Lee stood and made his way over to the three. "He simply does not know it yet."

_You have no idea. If I live to see that baka's face, I swear, I'll..._

Sasuke's inaudible threats ceased as Lee froze. The taijitsu master doubled over, gripping his cheek. Pain burned through the skin. He cried out, and Sasuke smirked. The poison went in, but worked from the outside. A dark web would stretch across his body, and once the poison was complete… There was no need for it to be lethal, and the person would have probably killed himself to escape the pain before they discovered this. It was simply pain. A searing, burning, flaming, constant throbbing that caused insomnia, mood swings, and whatever else pain can cause.

There was a cure, of course, and Sasuke could only cross his fingers and hope that an antidote couldn't be concocted. After all, the web created such a grotesque image that even the most selfless medic nin would hesitate to come within five feet. The cure was so simple, people would make it hard. Who would believe that the end to such hurting was placed in sand, which was the only substance that would easily rub the web away?

These were the last thoughts the dark haired Akatsuki member had.

--

They were taking Lee back to Suna. Even though they were already within Fire Country, Suna was technically closer, since the path was easier. There were a few particularly nasty rock passes between the shinobi and their real home. Neji and Tenten were careful not to touch Lee's face. The poison had only spread there, and they didn't know how it worked, so they were extremely careful. Lee protested that he could walk on his own, but he was gritting his teeth as he said it, which made his friends worry about him passing out. Of course, being a ninja, Lee had a high tolerance for pain…

--

Suna's medics rushed around the hospital. They were officially stumped. This new puzzle made the poison that Sasori had used on Kankuro years ago look basic. Of course, only two of them were even brave enough to touch the foreign shinobi, and they stayed well away from the infected areas.

The Kazekage was a flurry of robes as he breezed through the sanatorium. "Lee," he called, shoving past the doctors.

"Gaara! Do not touch me…"

"What happened?"

"I think Sasuke poisoned my water…"

"Now, where have I heard that before?" Gaara thought back to his encounter with Naruto. It had only been just over a week ago that he had caught the Hokage writing Hinata's name on the desk, but it felt like so much longer.

"He did, Kazekage-kun!" Lee almost smiled, which was quite a feat at the moment, all things considered.

One of the nurses tried to shoo the Kazekage away. "He's in pain! You're getting in the way!"

"No!" Lee reached out to his boyfriend. "Don't go!"

"It's okay, Lee. You'll be alright. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

The nurse stared at him in shock. As far as she knew, Gaara never talked like that, or that much. "Are you two…?"

Gaara allowed himself a small smile as he ignored the nurse and focused on Lee. He hated to see the taller boy in pain, but he had to be encouraging.

--

One of the elders coldly informed the Kazekage of a meeting the following morning. He reluctantly joined them. It was the first debate in a long while he actively participated in. The Elder Council was planning the unforgivable, but they were trying to persuade him to help.

"We understand you love him" -this, of course, was an outright lie- "and want to do what's best for Rock Lee and Suna."

"How would you know what's best for him?"

"He's in a lot of pain. There is no antidote. And we don't want the disease to spread to our shinobi. Burning him is the only way. If it would make you feel any better, you can do it yourself."

"Absolutely not!" Gaara struggled to remain calm. It was too late for calm, actually, so he struggled not to rip their heads off. They didn't even know Lee! They'd never seen his bright smile or felt his lips against theirs! (And if they had felt the second, he would make them die a slow and painful death, keeping them alive long enough to watch their own organs be picked apart by the buzzards.)

"Ask him, then. See what he thinks is best, then come back here. We'll be waiting."

--

The Kazekage didn't return until an hour later, interrupting the elders' card game. He had tried and tried to convince Lee otherwise, and even outright refused to accept the taijitsu master's wishes. But he had pulled the (particularly nasty) "Do you love me?" card. Gaara couldn't believe it. He wouldn't let this happen. He had to keep fighting.

But he couldn't. If he didn't kill Lee, he had threatened to kill himself.

"_It would mean a lot to me for you to be there. I am sorry, Gaara, but I can not live with this."_

"He wants me to burn him. Can't I just use the sand?"

"No, then it could spread to you through the sand."

Gaara didn't particularly care. He couldn't live without Lee… "I'll burn him in my office…" The memory of his nightmare tore through his mind, only it was so much more real than before. He gripped the back of his chair until his knuckles turned whiter than they were already.

"We'll supply some oil. You can use the sand to protect yourself from the blaze, and then put it out when the boy is dead."

How dare they? What gave them the right to refer to Lee as "the boy"? He was more, so much more.

"I'm going to go tell him." The Kazekage held back tears. He couldn't believe it. He finally found someone he could love, someone that loved him back, and they ripped him away. Gaara also couldn't accept the fact that he was really crying over something this stupid. Love…

He reached up and brushed his fingers across the scar on his forehead. Love had been the cause of the mark, or lack thereof. It had burned him so many years ago, yet now he was practically going to burn it back. The thought turned over in his mind. It was like he was the little boy, staring at his hands and wondering why he was such a monster.

He refused to leave Lee's bedside. When the elders sent for them, they made their way to the Kazekage's mansion. The room was ready. Hopefully, nothing would be damaged.

It was time. "I love you, Lee," Gaara muttered solemnly.

"I love you, too, Kazekage-kun."

--

**A/N: Appreciate the time you spend reading this far, m'dears.**


	8. Some Bizzare Nightmare

**Disclaimer:** Do I look like Kishimoto-sensei? No? Why not? I don't own Naruto? Oh… Never mind…

**Chapter Eight: Some Bizarre Nightmare**

Gaara would have cried at the confusing emotions running through his body. Actually, he was upset beyond the point of tears. If he sobbed, he would release the precious air his lungs held hostage. Considering the tightness in his chest, there was no guarantee that he would be able to inhale in more.

"Gaara, breathe…" Lee was about to die and was more worried about his boyfriend than himself…

_It's not fair! Why Lee? Why couldn't that…_ He searched for a curse, but none of them seemed strong enough. _It could have been one of his teammates, instead! Why?! WHY?!_ If he weren't so distressed, the Kazekage would have felt a vague guilt at wishing such a horrible fate on another.

"Kazekage-kun…" Lee threw his arm around the shorter boy's shoulders. "I love you. That is why I have to die."

"Wha…" Gaara tried to clear his throat, willing his voice not to break. He eventually settled for a questioning look.

"It is true, I want to put out of the pain. But I want you to be _happy_."

"Then let's go. Let's run. I'll steal painkillers. I'll sacrifice my sleep, the very gift I was given about two years ago, to hold your hand. I'll…" His voice cracked again. _Stop that!_ He mentally gave it harsh commands.

"Gaara…" He was using "the voice" again, where Gaara was the only one he was talking to. "This is better."

"Oh, you know what's better for me now?" Gaara knew getting mad at Lee wouldn't make killing him any easier.

Lee started to lean forward and kiss his boyfriend, but remembered the possibility that it was a contagious disease just in time.

--

Lee slid across the greasy floor and sat down at the Kazekage's desk. Wasn't this going to be a waste of oil?

Gaara gritted his teeth. _I'm not going to cry! I'm not gonna cry! I won't…_ As we all know, telling yourself that you won't tends to make it harder. Tears slipped from his jade eyes.

Lee jumped to his feet. "Gaara! Do not cry! I will, uh, always live on in your heart?" He was saying something incredibly corny…to a former homicidal psychopath.

The redhead threw his arms around Lee's neck, burying his face in the taller boy's shoulder. _Gaara is crying…and he just voluntarily touched someone._ Lee felt horrible, being the reason Gaara was upset. He'd succeeded in hurting him. Again. The taijitsu master muttered the shorter boy's name over and over under his breath, swaying to an inaudible rhythm. It had a calming effect. Gaara dimly wondered, once again, how the name that had been given to him from such hatred was so beautiful coming from those lips. Lee was like an angel. How could he die? What would happen to Gaara if he murdered an angel? He joined in, muttering the older boy's name in a cadence with his own. Neither of them wanted to move.

Gaara knew what he had to do, suddenly. It became so much clearer! He smiled into Lee's contaminated neck.

--

Kankuro got stuck with the task of checking on the Kazekage. It was taking too long to kill the teenager with the fuzzy eyebrows. The puppet master knew how hard this was for his brother, of course, but…

When he reached the door to the office, he noticed a tablet propped against the wall. Upon further investigation, he discovered it was made of compacted sand. He didn't bother reading it. Instead, Kankuro tucked it under his arm and opened the door.

--

Temari wasn't surprised when Kankuro told her what he'd found. She took the sand tablet and sealed it with some of her chakra, making sure it would never deteriorate, and hung it in her new apartment in Konoha. It was beautiful, she had said, and she wanted something to reminShikamaru threw an arm over the kunoichi's shoulder as she read it aloud. Her solemn voice echoed through the sparsely furnished room.

"_Smoke drifts between us all, like a burning cloud_

_Some bizarre nightmare where dreaming is not allowed_

_First I was dying as you all looked on_

_I would die again if he were gone_

_I will save this broken heart more pain_

_Do not run in to save us, for it is in vain"_

--

**A/N: If you're confused, Gaara didn't use the sand to save himself, so he died with Lee.**

**Please review, and give me constructive criticism! This is an old story, but my first decent fanfic. Trust me; you don't wanna see the not-so-decent ones.**


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